


Tainted Blood

by Myka



Series: Tainted Blood [1]
Category: Weiß Kreuz
Genre: Drama, M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-06-26
Updated: 2003-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-05 12:16:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/406314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myka/pseuds/Myka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a night gone wrong, Yohji's life turns upside down. But where does Schuldig fit in all this?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Run down luck

The full moon shone over in the middle of the night sky, illuminating better than most of the light poles that decorated the deserted street. A lone figure walked down that dark street; his footsteps the only sound, aside from a cat chasing a mouse. Yohji Kudou walked slowly, cursing at every step; until he came to a halt and raised his head to look up at a street sign; pinpointing his exact location. It was still more than an hour's walk away from home.

_Why me?_

"At least I'm not lost," he thought as he massaged his forehead a bit, trying to diminish his headache. He stared up ahead; searching; until his eyes found what he was looking for.

A lonely phone booth stood at the corner of the next street, it's small bulb shining, filling the confined space with light. Yohji stepped inside the booth, not even bothering to close the door for privacy; the street was empty after all. He picked up the receiver as he took some change out of his pocket at the same time. Once his back rested against the wall of the booth he finally relaxed a little as he waited for someone to pick it up on the other side.

Such a long day; no; awful day. Now why the hell did he agreed to do that last minute delivery, that just happened to be in the middle of nowhere? And on the same night that his car decided to break down too. He cursed at the mechanic who had 'fixed' it the day before "Stupid asshole; he's definitely going to hear from me" he cursed.

After two minutes he gave up on the incessant ringing. No one was picking up; there was nobody home. He slammed up the phone and kicked the booth with his right foot; cursing once again as he did so. His feet; his entire body; refused to walk any longer. He sighed and closed his eyes as he crossed his arms; his back resting against the booth once again.

The familiar sound of the engine of a car forced Yohji to open his eyes again; his curiosity peeked. He saw a car stop at the next corner; it was the first he had seen in a while; it was black with flashes of golden shimmering from its sides along the entire length of the car…a quite expensive car. Browsing at their direction Yohji could see a group of people getting out of the vehicle, two couples and a lone girl. The group looked around his age.

He picked up the phone again and put it up to his ear; if the group spotted him and didn't see him using the phone he would stand out. Something he didn't quite want at the moment. He kept looking at them as discreet as possible as the car drove away, leaving the group at the corner. After a few seconds of just standing there; chatting amongst themselves; they started to walk, the lonesome girl the last to move. One by one, they disappeared into the alley; when it was her turn she glanced towards Yohji, looking straight at him as if she always knew he had been looking at her; a soft smile curving her lips as she vanished out of sight. Yohji found himself caught; caught between waiting inside the phone booth until someone finally picked the phone at home or to follow the group into the alley.

_Ah, the hell with it…_

He decided to follow; he had nothing to lose.

Yohji peered his head slowly around the corner that lead to the alley. The first thing he noticed was how dark the entire passage was. The second was that there was nobody there. What the…

A small blinking red fluorescent light shone at the end; so Yohji entered the alley hesitating with every step and instantly felt for the weapon at his wrist, there was no such thing as being too careful. He dropped his guard at the light. There was a big black metallic door at the bottom of a small flight of stairs he hadn't seen before; the light came from a red light bulb above it. There was nothing else; just a door, the stairs and the red light. It could be the door to anything; but at this point Yohji didn't really care. The group he had seen looked like they were dressed for a night out. He was tired and a drink seemed like a excellent idea at the moment. He shrugged, went down the stairs and grabbed the doorknob, opening the door enough for him to walk inside.

The blond assassin never noticed the pair of eyes that was looking at him.


	2. Strangers

The sound of electronic music filled Yohji's ears as he passed through the door. A nightclub; just like he had suspected.

The place wasn't very spacious; but that didn't really matter since it wasn't very full to begin with. There were barely twenty people inside and he instantly located the two couples he had seen before. Flashes of light filled the dance floor, most of the people were dancing, while others were talking. The only odd thing about the place was that the colors that abounded were red or black; that and that the bar was practically abandoned. Yohji took a look at himself; with his black denim pants and navy blue linen shirt; he blended in perfectly. He walked up to the bar, to a spot where the lights wouldn't bother him. It was all wood; classic; a typical bar with a shelf that held much less drinks that it could normally hold. All accompanied by a large mirror behind it that reflected the people in the dance floor.

He sat in the first empty chair he saw and raised one of his hands to his forehead; his headache worsening compliments of the loud music. One drink; that's it; one drink and he would leave. One of the two bartenders looked up at him; instantly frowning.

"Never seen you around before" the man said in a slightly incredulous tone. "Who told you about us?"

Yohji glanced up at him, wondering why the hell did this guy care. "No one" he replied taking one of his cigarettes and lighting it.

"I'm sorry then," the man said slowly. "But we only serve regulars or those refer to us by regulars."

_Huh?_

Yohji blinked; the employee hadn't just said that had he? He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Yohji glared at the man; he was young; probably younger than even Yohji himself. What the hell was this kid doing here anyway? The young bartender was trying to get rid of him; in an indirect way maybe; but still trying to get rid of him nevertheless…and that pissed the hell out of Yohji.

Yohji looked straight at the man's eyes, and without blinking extended his arm in a flash, successfully grabbing him by the collar of his shirt; catching him by surprise. He pulled him forward, aggressively closing in on his face.

"Listen; I've had a very bad day and I'm positive that you don't want to mess with me right now; and if you don't give me a drink in the next five minutes I'm going to make your life a living hell…understand?" Yohji finished with a slight hiss to his voice; anyone close to him knew he meant every single word.

The bartender blinked and Yohji let him go in a push, the man hesitated for only a second. "Fine sir" he replied coldly, muttering something under his breath and leaving. Yohji straighten up in his chair, his cigarette not really helping his headache.

In a small cellar on the back of the club, the young employee Yohji had just threatened searched frantically for some type of alcohol. Bottles clanked as he searched desperately; none of them was what he was looking for. A sudden chill went up his spine as a gush of cold night air filled the room. He looked towards the source of that cold and found the backdoor wide open; a figure standing in it.

He froze; immediately recognizing who was standing there. After a few seconds that seem endless he was about to speak when that decision was taken from him.

"Give him this" the figure said, with a voice that sent shivers down his spine.

He tried to speak. "But…"

"Hush," the being said, almost a growl. It took a step towards the now terrified man; he didn't dare move. "Do as I say!" it said, grabbing the man under his chin and squeezing, sharp nails grazing his cheeks. The young man started to nod frantically until he was free of the cold touch. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down as he took the bottle with his shaking hands.

He exited the room, and as he did so he gave one last glance at the backdoor; just to find it closed and locked.

Yohji had managed to start a conversation with a red-haired girl when the bartender finally returned. The young man came in with a rush to his walk and a nervousness his body gave off. He quickly grabbed the nearest glass he saw; pouring some of the liquid from the black bottle inside it. "Here sir" he said, loud enough for Yohji to hear as he placed the glass full of liquid in front of him. Yohji turned around slowly, giving the bartender a threatening look just for the fun of it. He grabbed the glass in front of him without really looking at it and drank the contents in almost a single gulp.

Yohji flinched the second the liquid reached his tongue and went down his throat. It was very strong, and left a fierce burning sensation as it was swallowed. "Whoa" he though as he tried to keep his eyes open…Shit!

He quickly turned towards the bartender and once again grabbed him by the collar of his shirt brutally. "Hey! What the hell did you give me?" he asked, a roar in his voice. The young bartender grinned this time around. "Only what you asked for" he replied calmly.

Yohji released the man; fighting the urge to hit him. Oh what the hell. His fist connected with the man's face, sending him full force against the shelf in the back; his head colliding with the mirror with a loud crash. The music stopped.

Yohji could feel the gaze of everyone upon him and he was suddenly very aware of his five senses. The young man fell to the floor with a loud thud as the other employee rushed to his aid.

"Fuck," Yohji thought; he hadn't hit the man that hard…had he? He turned in the direction of the exit; the sudden movement made his head spin and he lost his balance, almost falling off the chair he was on. He quickly gathered himself up and left the bar in a rush, not looking back and ignoring a voice that was calling for help. But no matter how fast he tried to get out of there, faces surrounded him; faces that were watching him…it wasn't what he saw, but what he felt from those faces…fear, confusion, hatred and some he really didn't like…desire, satisfaction and hunger…

Yohji stumbled through the door, and once outside he took a deep breath and dedicated all his concentration and effort towards reaching the phone booth outside, as he swore to never again leave his cell phone at home. He had to reach it before he passed out. He knew he was going to pass out; he could feel his body shutting down already; it was just a matter of when. He had been drugged; on purpose; that meant someone wanted him unconscious, and he didn't even know who it was. His feet faltered and Yohji fell knee first towards the floor. He cursed again and again as with the help of the wall he raised himself up once more. The phone was at his reach and Yohji picked up the receiver and plunged all the coins he had left on the machine, fingers trembling. He dialed the number, every single move successfully making him dizzier. The rings resounded horribly on his ear. "Pickup dammit…someone answer the goddamn phone!"

"Hello?" a calm voice said on the other end. Aya.

"Aya. It's Yohji. Listen carefully. I need help, I need you to pick me up now," Yohji said, emphasizing every single word, pointing out just how dire the situation really was as he supported himself with the booth's wall.

"Where are you?" Aya asked, his voice not altered at all, and Yohji gave him the directions. "Wait there" The redhead ordered as he hung up. Yohji let his end of the receiver fall from his hands and rested his head against the phone for support. He put his arms across his stomach taking notice that it hurt…a lot. He took consecutive deep breaths one at a time; the light from the booth was starting to annoy him. He needed to find someplace to hide since out here he was an easy target. He managed to walk out of the booth without stumbling and immediately found his path blocked.

"Hi there," said a soft voice in front of him. "Need any help?"

"No thanks I'm just fin…" but before he could finish the sentence, Yohji collapsed. The only reason he wasn't on the floor was because the person, who Yohji realized now was a woman, had kept him from falling.

"Sure you are," she said with a little sarcasm in her voice. "Here, take this" she ordered; and before Yohji could protest, she forced a drink into his mouth and made him swallow it.

So this was it. Was this how he was going to die? Pathetic. Old age…possible. Suicidal mission…maybe. Drugged in a weird club…never. Yet here he was; in the arms of a stranger and realizing his last drink was…milk!

Yohji blinked as everything came into focus once again and his balance returned. He stood up straight again, not needing the girl's help anymore. "I'm not dead," was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

"Of course not," she replied honestly. "What did you think I was trying to do? Poison you?" she finished.

"Honestly - yes." Yohji replied, taking his first good look at the woman who had helped him. He recognized her immediately, the lonely girl from the group. She was shorter than him, but not much and had short black hair. Her skin had a slight tan to it and she was wearing a red sleeveless shirt that merged perfectly with her pair of black leather pants complete with black boots.

"How did you know what was wrong with me?" Yohji asked.

She smiled. "I live around here," she replied. "Let's just say you're not the first guy to be drugged in this place." She finished, pointing in the direction of the club.

"I see" Yohji acknowledged, "so you're like the guard for guys like me?" he asked grinning a little.

"Something like that," she said, smiling back at him. "I'm Rayne" she announced extending her right hand and smiling at the same time.

"Yohji," he said taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "Yohji Kudou".

"So, Yohji," Rayne said walking towards the opposite direction of the club with Yohji beside her. "What brings you here at this beastly hour?" Yohji glanced at his watch…past midnight.

"Damn" he said automatically.

"Too late for you?" Rayne asked with a grin.

"No; it's just that…" he answered back, and in that second Yohji took notice of Rayne's eyes. Crimson eyes, absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing. He could have sworn they were hazel five seconds ago. Yohji starred at her eyes and not a single thought could pass through his mind; all that was left was a deep black hole and those beautiful red eyes.


	3. Afternight

Yohji slowly opened his eyes and starred at the white of a ceiling; he recognized it immediately; his ceiling. Now the question was how he had gotten back to his apartment. The room was dark and felt cold; what time was it? What day was it? He raised a hand to his forehead; his entire body hurt.

"You're awake" a voice said from the end of the room; it was Aya; he was sitting across the room.

"What happened?" Yohji asked, finding he could talk even though his throat was killing him.

Aya let out a grunt. "Funny; I was going to ask you the same thing."

Yohji thought for a moment; he remembered a late delivery and his car breaking down, he remembered the club and drinking something; the rest of the night was a blur. Yohji closed his eyes and thought harder about the previous night; images flared through his mind…a girl…red eyes. Yohji's eyes snapped open and he sat up on the bed in a flash; sweat covering his forehead. He told Aya everything he remembered.

"You think there was a girl?" Aya ask seriously.

"I know there was a girl; I just…everything's a blur Aya." Yohji answered back a little bitterly.

Aya cleared his throat, catching Yohji's full attention. "Ken and I went to get you last night…we searched for more than two hours…" he said as he crossed his arms.

Yohji listened, he wasn't feeling very proud of himself at the moment. Aya continued. "We found you in an alley around four blocks from where you said you where going to be…"

"You thought I was dead, didn't you?" Yohji interrupted raising his head to look at Aya.

"Yes we did." Aya responded looking back at him. "Ken even panicked for a few seconds yelling you had no pulse, but when he touched your face, you jumped."

Yohji took the words, feeling a little nauseous with the information. "How long was I unconscious?" he asked.

"You weren't." Aya said calmly. Yohji looked at the redhead with a bewildered look on his face. "According to the doctor you were sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Yohji whispered, almost to himself. "I feel like I've been hit by a bus, how can I…"

Aya stood up quickly, anger reflecting on his face "Yohji. You went to a strange bar, you let your guard down and almost got killed. You got yourself into this so deal with the side effects." Aya finished; obviously frustrated with the whole thing; he started walking towards the door.

"Then why were you here?" Yohji asked calmly.

"We've been taking turns…" Aya replied, "In case you had a convulsion or something. I'll go tell the others you're awake; the doctor will be here shortly to check on you." Aya shut the door behind him after leaving the room.

Yohji let out a sigh he was holding in. He forced himself to stand up from the bed; his body was stiff from head to toe. The room was freezing, and he felt tired. He sat back down on the bed, pulled the bed sheets over him and gave silent thanks for being alive.

It had been around two hours since Yohji had woken up; and he was still in bed. The doctor had diagnosed him with a very bad hangover and that he should rest for a while. Omi and Ken had paid a visit and even Birman had come up with a long lecture and to tell him that he was out of any mission until the doctor gave his ok. To which Yohji had no problem with since he felt like shit anyway.

So now Yohji was alone in his room…again. Bored out of his mind and with a headache that was killing him along with a throat that was as dry as could be. "I'm probably getting a cold" he thought. "Wonderful." The house was desolated since Aya, Omi and Ken had left for a small mission; they had vouch to be back before midnight; which gave Yohji more than four hours all to his lonesome self. The headache was making him ill, and even though Yohji didn't want to get out of bed; he forced himself down the stairs and to the kitchen in search for some cold medicine.

But there was no cold medicine in the house; not in any of the places he had searched. He'd been ordered not to leave the Koneko; but there are limits and there are limits. 8:45 pm. There was a pharmacy down the street, he could go and be back before nine. No one will ever know.

Yohji walked outside the pharmacy with the medicine on one of his pockets; all he needed now was a glass of water and a good night's sleep. Everything would be fine in the morning. He passed by an empty parking lot, two buildings away from the Koneko.

"Well, it's a small world after all." A voice said from said parking lot.

Yohji recognized it immediately, he didn't even have to look behind him to verify his suspicion; but he wasn't about to give his back to a member of Schwarz.

"Too small sometimes." Yohji said sarcastically as he turned around.

"What's with the dark look Kudou?" Schuldig asked, taking notice of Yohji's black shirt and pants as he sipped a breath from his cigarette and stood up from where he was sitting.

"None of your business." Yohji replied coldly.

"Really?" the flamed haired man replied mockingly as he starred at Yohji. A few seconds passed and suddenly anger rose in Schuldig's face. "What did you do Kudou?"

Yohji blinked in confusion at the sudden change in attitude. "What the hell are you talking about?" he replied in the same angry tone.

"Why can't I read your mind Kuduo?" Schuldig yelled, stepping closer to Yohji. The Weiss assassin glanced around and appreciated that the street was empty at the moment; if a fight was about to start he didn't want any bystanders. The telepath threw a punch that Yohji dodge easily and Schuldig almost lost his balance by the force the blow left. Yohji backed up into the empty parking lot; hiding their brawl in darkness.

He searched his clothes for anything he could use as a weapon; cursing that his watch was on top of his dresser at home; but all he had on him was the bottle of cold medicine he had just purchased. Schuldig still stared at him with his bare fists on plain sight; and Yohji knew that the flamed haired man wasn't armed either. With the rage his face and body gave off he would have pulled a weapon before that first punch if he had any; the german's eyes screamed murder. Yohji glanced around in the darkness for any kind of weapon; he wasn't about to die from the other assassin's delusions. His search resulted in a long piece of wood about a feet and a half long. Yohji crouched down to pick the piece from the dirty floor, grabbing it quickly with his right hand. He raised his head immediately feeling the presence of his opponent near him; but it was too late. Yohji had a brief second to see Schuldig's fist directed straight at him; the blow connected with the right side of his face, just at the corner of his mouth; sending white spots to his vision and filling his mouth with the copper taste of blood.

Yohji swiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and swallowed the rest as he recovered his footing. His senses were screaming. Schuldig had picked up an old rusty metal pipe after hitting Yohji; he held it high above his head and swiped down at Yohji with it. But this time Yohji's reflexes reacted perfectly and he dodge the pipe easily, swiping the piece of wood he had as hard as he could at the telepath at the same time. The old piece of wood shattered into splinters when it connected with Schuldig's left shoulder. The german swore and screamed at Yohji in his natal language, reaching for the wound with his right hand and pulling out a chunk of wood that had been incrusted in.

A strong scent caught Yohji's nose and his senses flared. Taking over him, removing all reason.

His stomach twisted and his throat burned.

His brain demanded only one thing…food

Schuldig held the chunk of wood as blood dripped from it. It made a decent dagger. Schuldig held it up and lunged at Yohji; but the blond assassin striked first; sending the piece of wood flying to the floor. The Mastermind of Schwarz was left in shock as Yohji moved in a blur, grabbing hold of Schuldig's neck with his left hand and squeezing. The german's eyes went wide open and he put both hands on Yohji's left wrist; prying at his fingers; in a desperate attempt to stop the Weiss member from crushing his windpipe. Yohji forced Schuldig back until his back collided against a wall; then he squeezed harder.

"Bastard…" the german muttered under his breath as his air supply was being cut off.

After each passing moment the Schuldig's grip on his wrist and fingers became weaker and weaker until his eyes closed and his arms fell to his sides. Yohji's senses screamed again; another warning; another instruction. He wasn't in control anymore. He stopped squeezing Schuldig's throat and the german collapsed forward, falling on top of the blond.

Yohji held Schuldig in his arms as he remained standing in the semi-darkness and he had the sudden urge to lick his lips. As he did so, he felt the sharp sting of the only weapon his body needed right now; responded to right now. He trailed fingers along the side of his neck and leaned over to hover his mouth above the soft skin; his lips parting slowly.

Yohji's fangs sank on Schuldig's neck and at the first taste of blood; he drank.


	4. Bloodlust

There was a drum. A beat. One Yohji followed by instinct.

A hot liquid poured over his mouth and he drank. Following that beating, that rhythm; pacing itself…going slower and slower.

Yohji's eyes snapped open and he instantly became aware. Aware of the cold night air. Aware of the desolated place he was in. And aware of the person he was holding.

Yohji stared. He forced his eyesight getting used to the dark until he could see; and in the dim light he recognized the face of his enemy…Schuldig.

The slowing rhythm was the beating of Schuldig's heart. Yohji stared in horror as the realization of what he had just done dawned upon him. He couldn't turn his gaze away…Schuldig's white pale face, his closed eyes and his blood-drenched neck. A soft gasp of surprise escaped Yohji's lips as he stopped holding Schuldig, letting the german's body fall to the floor with a loud thud. He backed out one step, then another; still trying to make sense of it all, still trying to understand why…

He ran.

Yohji shut the door to his bathroom door with all his might. He stared at himself on the mirror horrified to see there were traces of blood all over his face and clothes. He turned up the water and splashed his face again and again, trying to get rid of that blood.

"Vampires?" he thought to himself in disbelief. "Vampires aren't real."

Yohji checked his own teeth and found nothing out of place. He then checked his neck on the mirror as to reassure himself of that. He found nothing. He took off his shirt in a desperate move, looking. Shoulders nothing, under his arms nothing, chest nothing, stomach nothing…then there it was; at his right side near his back, he needed the mirror to see it.

A wave of nausea flooded over him instantly at the sight of what was clearly a bite mark on his body and he lost whatever contents were on his stomach into the toilet.

Everything was red.

Blood.

And Yohji knew it wasn't his own.

His strength started to disappear almost instantly at the thought, until he couldn't hold himself up anymore. His body hit the cold floor and Yohji starred at nothing as his world completely darkened.

Omi took a sip from the warm coffee mug he was holding and raised up his head to look at Ken.

"Don't you think Yohji was acting a little bit weird today?" he asked the brunette in front of him. Ken only shrugged and Omi continued.

"I mean, first he's sick as a dog, then this morning he's suddenly better, then he leaves again tonight as if nothing ever happened?"

Ken shrugged again. "At least he isn't sick anymore." He said in an unworried voice, to which Omi frowned. "Don't you feel like he's up to something?"

Ken turned his eyes to Omi in slight wonderment. "What could he possibly be up too?"

_You gotta be kidding me…_

Yohji stared at the locked metal door and at the unlit sign above it. He couldn't believe it. The club were he had just been the night before was closed; it's door bolted shut. He cursed again and again at the locked door and at the freaking club behind it. He knew this was the place were all this mess had started; this place and that girl…that girl with hazel eyes that turned red. That girl; Rayne was it? She was the one, he knew it, he didn't know how but he knew it. The bite mark on his body belonged to her.

But all he knew was this place. He didn't know anywhere else to look. He didn't have any leads. Not a single one.

Yohji decided to browse around the area a few more times, he was not about to give up so easily. He remembered what had happened the night before, how he had lost control…next time it could happen close to home. And that was something he wasn't going to allow.

The hours passed and Yohji's searched was turning fruitless. He was tired and extremely frustrated. He was getting nowhere, finding nothing. He felt sleep come over him like some sort of mist and decided to return home to the warmth of his bed as the first hints of an odd thirst started to appear.

It was morning; and the 'Koneko no Sume Ie' was starting to give signs of life inside when Manx knocked softly on the backdoor. The door opened almost immediately and Manx smiled at Aya who had opened the door. She presented the folder on her hands and her smile broadened.

"Get the others" she ordered in a mild voice. "Kritiker has dig up something I think you ought to know."

Half an hour later the basement of the flower shop was full with tired eyes and yawning mouths. Yohji made it his personal mission to keep his eyes open, he had barely slept the night before.

"Is it a mission?" Ken asked after everyone had sat down. Manx just overlooked at the lot of them with a smile on her face. "It's news" she said.

"What kind of news?" Aya asked.

"The good kind" Manx answered and with those words she caught everyone's attention. They all stared at her with curiosity, waiting to hear what she had come to tell them. Manx took a deep breath before she started speaking.

"We've been keeping tabs on Schwarz in the recent weeks in hopes of getting some information."

Yohji's stomach did a flip at the mention of Schwarz, he remembered what had happened with Schuldig.

"It appears that one of its members was attacked…" she opened the folder and read from it. "From the looks of it, it was some sort of animal attack since there were severed bite marks and major loss of blood."

Yohji couldn't help himself. "Is he ok?" he asked, to which Ken gave him a weird look at the question as if wondering why was Yohji asking for the well-being of a member of Schwarz. Manx directed her gaze to Yohji, her face serious.

"He's dead."

The words echoed in Yohji's head and instant guilt consumed him. Remembrants from that night flashed before him. Schuldig had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time for all he knew; and he had just left him there to bleed to death; not even taking a glance back. Why didn't I call for help?

He felt the heat of remorse crept up his face at an alarming rate and he felt sick.

"So there's only three of them right?" Ken said in a calm tone. "That's good right?" he added, to which Manx frowned.

"Yes; but it also means that there's some sort of creature out there attacking people."

"Are we supposed to hunt it down?" asked Omi.

"No." replied Manx softly. "Just be careful."

Yohji was giving his third walk around the block when his watched beeped at the stroke of midnight. The club was closed again and the surrounding area was deserted again. His guilt trip wasn't helping him at all.

Three nights ago. At the time he hadn't even thought about it, he had been too horrified with what he had just done to think about anything. It didn't matter that Schuldig was his enemy, if the telepath hadn't been there…maybe he would have attacked one of his teammates or a bystander in the end. Yohji could feel the pang of an unfamiliar thirst and his throat was feeling a bit soar again. It was happening again, he knew it. He just had to find her.

"You are a pain to track down did you know that?"

Yohji turned at the voice, his eyes wide in shock, his heart skipping a beat at a sight he couldn't believe.

Emerald eyes gazed at him.

"Good evening kitten"


	5. Ripples

It was impossible, he was seeing things…a ghost.

Emerald eyes widened in slight surprise and a grin appeared. "I assure you I am no ghost Balinese."

Schuldig sat on the top of a wall eight feet from the ground. He looked down towards Yohji as his hair covered half his face.

"But they told me you died." Yohji said in a confused voice.

Schuldig's grin just widened. "That's not exactly true is it?" he said. "They told you a member of Schwarz died."

Yohji blinked. "How did you…"

Schuldig laughed, swiping the hair away from his face at the same time. "It seems I've regained access to your thoughts and memories again; apparently I just had to be whatever you are."

Yohji's eyes widened. Whatever you are…

"YOU!" He said accusingly. "You attacked one of your teammates."

Schuldig's grin disappeared from his face instantly. "Not by choice" he admitted in a sullen voice. "I didn't mean to kill him…" Schuldig gazed towards the ground below him, apparently lost in thought. Yohji could have sworn that on that instant he saw remorse on the telepath's face. Yohji gave a step back, this seemed like a good time to leave; but he repented the action the second he did it. Schuldig turned his head instantly at the sound of Yohji's footstep, a deep anger reflected on his face.

"You did this to me." he hissed.

"That was an accident."

Schuldig jumped from the wall and landed swiftly on his feet close to Yohji. "Bullshit!" he yelled. "You're a freaking vampire Kudou and you turned me into one!"

Yohji backed away another step. The last thing he wanted was a fight, the last time they had fought he had…he had… "NO" he screamed. "This is some sort of disease, a virus, it just has to be."

Schuldig frowned. "Stop deluding yourself."

"But I can still walk in the daylight…"

"Your in denial Kudou."

Yohji glared at the telepath. "You seem pretty calm all things considered" he spat.

Schuldig grinned again. "Because there's something I'm looking forward too" he admitted.

"And what would that be?" Yohji asked angrily.

Schuldig gave a step forward, but Yohji stood his ground. "Do you honestly think I came here to talk to you Kudou." He gave another step forward, then another until he stood by Yohji's side. Yohji glanced his eyes sideways in order to look at the telepath. A malicious smile appeared on Schuldig's face. "I'll make you pay for what you did to me."

Yohji had less than a second to comprehend the words before Schuldig's elbow collided with the back of his head. He went instantly for his watch, but Schuldig's arm wrapped around his throat before he could pull his wire from it. Both his hands went to Schuldig's arm and he cursed strongly as his throat was being crushed.

"You were faster last time; that's the only reason you got me." Schuldig smirked. "Now were even."

Yohji's eyes went wide as he tried to breathe. He raised his elbow and slammed it backwards towards Schuldig's stomach. The blow never hit.

"You can't escape me kitten." Schuldig laughed. "You got a taste of my blood before…now it's my turn."

Yohji's desperation went up a notch. This isn't real; it just can't be real…

A hint of something sharp on his neck, slammed Yohji back to reality. He remembered his training and quickly kicked Schuldig's leg aside causing the german to loose his balance then taking the opportunity to topple him over his body and slamming him hard against the concrete floor. Without wasting a second Yohji fell on top of Schuldig pinning his legs with his own body and grappling his hands with his own.

Schuldig cursed at the top of his lungs as Yohji used his wire to wrap his hands together and pinning them with his right hand against the floor.

"Fucking bastard! Let go of me!" Schuldig yelled. "Let go of…hmph"

Yohji covered the redhead's mouth with his free hand. It wasn't really necessary since the there was no one around. Yohji would know; he had been walking around the place for the past three hours without meeting a single soul. But there was never a thing as being too careful.

"Let's talk about this, I'm sure we can reach some sort of agree…ouch!" Yohji exclaimed as he removed his left hand from Schuldig's mouth and raised it toward his own. "You bit me!" he exclaimed placing the nipped finger inside his mouth. Schuldig's grin couldn't have been any wider and Yohji starred, horror struck when he saw that the german indeed had fangs. The Weiss assassin glared at the telepath as he sucked the little bit of blood that had come from the tip of his finger. A reflex he instantly regretted.

The drop of blood woke something in Yohji, something he had been blocking out for the past two days. He raised his free hand to his throat as it became intensely soar and that unknown thirst came rushing back. He shut his eyes.

_"NO"_

Schuldig started struggling frantically beneath him. Yohji forced his eyes open. The emerald in Schuldig's eyes were bursting with panic.

"No! You're not doing this to me again, I won't let you!" he screamed.

It didn't matter to the telepath that his entire body was pinned to the ground by Yohji's weight; nor that his hands were tied and held. He refused to be the victim again.

Yohji struggled to keep his head clear and his body in control. His body craved for energy; energy that laid only below Schuldig's skin, inside his veins. The german's struggling wasn't helping at all. Yohji knew that he had to make him stop struggling before he lost control again. He released Schuldig's hands from his grip, tolerating the immediate assault on his body as he took some more wire from his watch and wrapped it around Schuldig's throat in one swift move.

The Schwarz assassin gasped for air as he scrambled to grab the wire at his throat, his strength diminishing after every second that passed.

"I hate you…" he managed to mutter as his eyelids closed over his eyes and his body finally became still.

Yohji scrambled to his feet and created a good distant between him and the unconscious telepath. The hunger was starting to drive him mad. He had to get rid of it somehow, make it disappear. But Schuldig was the only person close to him, and Yohji refused to repeat the incident from three nights ago. He was desperate, anything would do…

Yohji covered his face with his left hand in desperation and instantly took noticed of his own pale wrist.

Then without giving it a second thought sank his fangs into it.

It was two in the morning.

Yohji sat on the concrete floor, his back against a wall; Schuldig's unconscious body sprawled beside him. He felt calm, a little too calm. Maybe it was the blood loss…or blood intake for that matter. Whichever it was, it had worked since Yohji felt no trace of the hunger that had threatened to claim control of him. Yohji couldn't deny it anymore; whatever was happening to him was not natural; and the only thing that even came close to describing it was the term vampire. But he wasn't about to give up without a fight; he was determined to find a cure for himself.

But first things first. He glanced down at the telepath with curious eyes.

_"Now what am I supposed to do with you?"_

Schuldig was a hazard. Especially to others; he had already apparently killed one of his teammates by accident. He couldn't let Schuldig go; that was out of the question. There were only two options left; taking him with him or killing him. It was quite a pickle indeed.

Yohji sighed. No matter how much he thought of it, he just couldn't bring himself down to killing the telepath. If it hadn't been for him in the first place, Schuldig wouldn't even be here.

Yohji forced his body from the floor, reaching a decision. He soon found out that Schuldig was quite heavy as he raised the german's body from the floor and slumped him over his shoulder in a fireman's hold. He gave a step forward, trying to ignore the pain on his left wrist as he started the walk to his car.


	6. Houseguest

Yohji was out of a bathroom since three in the morning. But it was good that it was so late. That meant everyone was asleep; which meant that no one had seem him drag Schuldig up to his apartment. So all things considered, the situation could have been much worse. The main problem now was that Yohji was out of a bathroom.

Once up in his apartment with the unconscious telepath he noticed how little he had given the problem prior thought; because once there he had no idea what to do with him. The result was giving up his bathroom to Schuldig.

After wrapping his wrist around with bandages Yohji found some handcuffs that they kept around the house just for emergencies and handcuffed the redhead to one of the pipes below the toilet. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but it was all Yohji could come up with at the moment. And now he was between two choices, either going to sleep and try to ignore the situation or see if he could wake the German up and reason with him. The blond assassin sighed in frustration as he knelt down in front of the redhead, poking him on the shoulder.

"C'mon, I didn't choke you that hard. Wake up Schwarz." Yohji said in a tired voice. He was exhausted and he wanted to go to sleep and rest up. "I said wake up you moron!" Yohji repeated as he hit Schuldig on the side of the head.

Emerald eyes snapped open obviously confused and disoriented. Yohji waited patiently for the telepath to recognize him. Schuldig's eyes swam around the room for a while before settling down on Yohji. Schuldig tried to rush at Yohji but instantly was held back by the handcuffs. He growled viciously as a smile form on Yohji's lips.

"Notify me when your brain finally gets that you're stuck." he said sarcastically and Schuldig glared at him. The redhead opened his mouth to reply, probably something very nasty, but seem to think better of it and closed it again still giving Yohji a death glare that seemed to last forever. The German suddenly blinked as his face expressed some sort of emotion that Yohji couldn't read, then he took a deep breath.

"Where are the keys?" he asked calmly, clanking the cuffs at the same time.

Yohji blinked surprised by the calm reaction, it rendered him speechless for a few seconds. "You think that after all the trouble I had to bring you up here I'm just going to let you go?" he asked.

"You have no right to keep me here. I believe that's called kidnapping."

Yohji shrugged. "Whatever. I still can't let you go."

"Can't or won't?" Schuldig asked still in a calm voice. The calmness unnerved Yohji to no end, he would feel much more comfortable dealing with a desperate German than a calm one.

"Both" he answered honestly, feeling guilty again.

"You could've killed me, you certainly had the chance…so why didn't you?" Yohji opened his mouth to answer but was quickly interrupted. "…don't tell me it was because of your precious guilt?"

Instant annoyance rushed up Yohji's spine in a second. Here he was trying to reach some sort of 'happy-medium' with Schuldig and their current situation, but the telepath just kept bothering and bothering, he just wouldn't let go.

"Shut up you idiot." Yohji snapped. "Just in case you haven't noticed we have a serious problem here; one we need to figure out before it gets any worse." Schuldig seemed to want to say something, but Yohji quickly placed a finger over his lips instantly hushing him at the same time that he fixed his jade eyes on Schuldig's emerald ones. "Listen! I'm sorry I bit you, but that was an accident, I didn't know what was happening to me and I apologize. But what we have to do now is concentrate on how to solve this problem."

Schuldig's eyes closed slowly then opened again. "Problem?" he asked. "We are monsters Kudou. We are lusting for blood. This is much more than a problem."

Yohji didn't know what to say, because Schuldig was right. He tried to think of something to say, but his mind just came up blank.

"Let go of me Yohji…please…"

The words took Yohji aback. Hearing his name come out of the telepath's lips. Not Balinese, not Weiss, not Kudou…it was extremely unnerving.

"I'm sorry…but I can't." Yohji stood up after he spoke the words, still looking at Schuldig. "You are my responsibility now; it's my fault that this is happening to you; just give time until I find a cure for me…for us."

Schuldig glared at him. "I know you're full of honor and all that crap Balinese; but you just can't-" he pulled on the handcuffs, making them clank "keep-" then again "me-" and again "chained to your bathroom!"

"I'll find you some other spot by tomorrow; but this will have to do for now."

"You can't just leave me here while you sleep on your bed! You ass! I haven't even eaten anything tonight! I'm starving!" Schuldig yelled furiously.

"Then bite your own damn wrist like I did!" Yohji snapped back with his own fury. "This discussion is over for now Mastermind!"

With those final words Yohji shut the bathroom door behind him, ignoring Schuldig's muffled screams that passed through the door and giving silent thanks that the walls to his teammates rooms were soundproof.

Schuldig tried to fall asleep, but it just wasn't happening; he was exhausted too. But the thirst he felt was about to drive him insane; up to the point were he was about to bite into his own wrist just like Yohji had suggested. Still…he just wasn't about to let the Weiss member get the best of him. The mere though of the blond gave Schuldig a reason to feel loathing; the more reason to hate what his body wanted right now.

Because the truth was that not a single second passed of their entire conversation where Schuldig didn't think of getting closer to Yohji so he could bite into him. And Schuldig hated that urge; it was the complete opposite of what he was supposed to be feeling.

_"Don't lust after enemy's blood, don't lust after enemy's blood, don't lust after enemy…"_

The door opened suddenly and Schuldig turned his head towards it to see Yohji standing there, dressed only in his boxers and with a pillow and a bedcover in hand.

Whatever Schuldig was thinking instantly disappeared and he tried very hard to keep his mouth closed. Yohji threw the stuff he was holding at him. "This will have to do for tonight, I promise I'll think of something better for tomorrow. Goodnight." The blond assassin closed the door behind him after finishing and a small vein popped in Schuldig's head out of sheer frustration.

He took a deep breath and analyzed his current situation.

One; he was handcuffed and trapped.  
Two; he was very thirsty.  
Three; his gift was useless with Yohji. That was the part that pissed him off the most; the fact that he could read Yohji's thoughts with ease but couldn't get inside his head at all. He had tried. That had been his first impulse when he had caught wind of his situation, to force Yohji to release him, but it apparently wasn't possible. This vampire stuff was preventing it.

Four; he still wanted revenge for what Yohji had done to him. But the fact was that whenever Yohji was in the room Schuldig just wanted to grab him and bite him; posses him. The thought wasn't very comforting at all. This meant there had to be a change of plan.

Schuldig smirked as ideas started coming to him. Because now; no matter what; he would have Yohji…the blond would be his…even if it was the last thing he did.


	7. Change

Schuldig was on a mission. Yohji was going to be his one way or another. That was what had kept him up most of the night, visions of the blond in nothing but his underwear.

Why couldn't things be simple? Right now he should be at home planning Weiss' demise and not actually lusting after one of its members. He knew that part of it was the bloodlust, but he also knew that the other part of it was his own attraction. This was a problem indeed…

But that was something to contemplate at another time; right now he was concentrating on the problem at hand…How to get free of the handcuffs.

Last night had been the most horrible night Schuldig could remember; even worse than the time when he had collapsed drunk in a dirty alley. Every single muscle in his body ached, mostly his back and legs; the pillow Yohji had handed to him had been useless. One would think that being a creature of the night would remove all these physical nuisances, but apparently it didn't work that way. Well; at least Yohji wasn't in a state of denial anymore, he had even mentioned something about finding a cure, a cure for both of them. Schuldig still didn't know what to make of that.

For as long as he could remember he had always handled whatever situation came his way at the heat of the moment. Assassins didn't have a spot reserved for 'future planning'. So as far fetched as it had seemed at first, he had accepted the bloodlust and had gone right after the source…Yohji. The plan had been payback; not getting kidnapped…and certainly not lusting after the blond.

Schuldig shrugged. The how or why didn't really matter to him, but the what…As in what was he was going to do about this? Yohji had said he would find a cure for both of them; it was the first time in Schuldig's experience that someone had acknowledged some type of concern towards him. The feeling it invoke was…New.

He had to do something about it.

Yohji paced nervously around the kitchen as he tried to distract himself with making some coffee. Omi and Ken were talking in the next room and Aya had decided at the last minute to visit Aya-chan. The hospital didn't usually allow visits an hour before midnight; but they knew Aya, they would let him see his sister.

Extremely paranoid didn't even come close to how Yohji was feeling right now, especially since Schuldig was up in his apartment just one floor up. His was going insane over this. He started opening drawers, searching…and he didn't even know what he was looking for.

Then he saw something; something that wasn't even supposed to be there. Who could have possibly misplaced this?

It didn't matter. An idea came to him the instant he saw it. He had told Schuldig he would find a better spot for him than the bathroom floor. This would help solve that problem.

Schuldig tried stretching his sore muscles for the twentieth time in the last ten minutes. His stomach grumbled and his throat was slightly sore; what Yohji had given him to eat hadn't satisfied him at all; he was still hungry…and thirsty. He let his guard down a little and jumped when the door suddenly burst open.

Yohji blinked at him before speaking. "I brought a chair from the living room downstairs, if you cooperate, we can try and move you there. What do you say?"

Schuldig just stared at the blond. "Anything as long as it gets me off the floor." he replied.

"Deal then." Yohji said. "Here are the rules," he added after a fashion. "I know you're probably still hungry, so as soon as you're moved I'll get you something to eat. But I know how bad it can get, so under no circumstances am I letting you near me. So I brought this." Yohji pulled out the gun he had found in the kitchen drawer and pointed it straight at Schuldig. "Here," he said throwing Schuldig the handcuff keys.

The redhead caught them in midair with his free hand and instantly released his trapped wrist. Schuldig took his time in standing up from the floor as he stretched as much as he possibly could. His muscles screamed at him as he did this.

"If you are less than three feet away from me I'll shoot you."

Schuldig nodded, not throwing any comments that could infuriate Yohji even more. If he wanted his plan to work he needed to be on Yohji's good side.

"Throw the keys back to me." Yohji ordered and Schuldig obeyed. He caught the keys and placed them inside one of the pockets of his pants; then he moved away from the doorframe never letting the gun down.

Schuldig walked out of the bathroom, never letting his eyes off the blond. Giving his full concentration to restraining himself.

_Follow the plan…follow the plan…_

He sat down in the chair just like Yohji had told him to and caught the handcuffs that were thrown at him. "Tie your hands behind your back."

Schuldig actually tried, but it was quite impossible with the chair and all. "Um…" he muttered. "I'm really trying to comply, but it seems I can't." he said in his most innocent voice possible.

Yohji cursed, but walked around behind Schuldig anyway and tried handcuffing the German and point the gun at him at the same time. A task that proved impossible too. Yohji cursed again, but didn't mention anything out loud.

 _"He better not try anything."_ Schuldig heard, as Yohji put the gun away. This was it.

The telepath twisted his arm out of Yohji's grasp and used his speed to his full advantage. He turned around, tossing the chair that stood between them aside and threw himself into the Weiss assassin who had a look of shock on his entire face.

Yohji couldn't believe it. After he specifically told Schuldig not to try anything. This was not good; this was not good at all.

From previous experience all their encounters that involved fighting ended up in bloodlust. Was the German even thinking this through?

Yohji saw Schuldig's right hand reach out for him and he raised his own hand up snatching Schuldig's wrist midway and using the momentum to his advantage. The German slammed into him and Yohji tried to snatch Schuldig's other hand; the one that was already half cuffed. They remained at an equal strength, both of them trying to get the upper hand in the scuffle. Their faces were only inches apart.

Yohji felt it as Schuldig tried to wriggle his captured wrist free. But in trying to do so, the German made a mistake and Yohji managed to capture his other hand. Yohji turned a victorious look towards the redhead; but instead of the disappointed gaze he expected to find; he saw something else.

The blond didn't even have time to react as Schuldig leaned forward and joined their mouths together. Yohji let his guard down completely at the feeling of Schuldig's lips; but quickly regained his wits and managed to handcuff Schuldig again to a metal tube that belonged to the furniture that held his entertainment center.

Yohji let out a scream of frustration as he picked up the chair from the floor and placed it in an accessible spot for the German in case he wanted to sit down. Then he turned towards his bedroom.

"You're insane" he muttered as he closed the door with a loud bang.

There was a very intense silence after Yohji had shut the door. Schuldig sat down calmly in the chair as he tugged at his cuff's making them clank against the metal of the bar. Everything was going according to plan. Sure the kiss had been improvised, but it had served to get what he wanted.

The telepath smiled to himself as he twirled the handcuff key's between his fingers.

Five seconds later he was out of the small restraining device and free to do what he pleased. And what he wanted was behind the closed door just a few feet away from him.

Now all he had to do was control himself…At least until Yohji was half asleep.

Yohji slumped into his bed as all sorts of thoughts ran inside his head. Two above all…why had Schuldig kissed him; and why had he liked it?

He was thankful at least; thankful that the bloodlust hadn't rushed up inside him like before.

But that wasn't the only problem at the moment. Yohji had tried analyzing why his bloodlust had only surfaced with the telepath so far. And no matter how much he thought about it or how many ways he tried to explain it only one thing made sense…lust.

Maybe that was part of the reason he couldn't will himself to kill the German.

Yohji dug his head deeper into his pillow, willing himself to sleep. He had to get up tomorrow at five in the morning. He remained there with his thoughts for a while until he finally could feel the first instants of sleep taking over him.

That was when he heard the door opening.

_"No way…"_

Schuldig stood in slight disbelief in front of Yohji's door.

_"Lust? Does that mean what I think it means?"_

A malicious grin formed on Schuldig's face. He had swore to himself that he would wait until the Weiss assassin had fallen asleep, but as he waited he accidentally heard the blond's thoughts; apparently Yohji was feeling a lot of the things he was feeling. Now he just wanted to burst inside the room.

_"Ah, the hell with it."_

The door made a noise when it opened, and Schuldig knew Yohji had heard as the Weiss assassin turned his head towards it immediately, his eyes full of surprise.

"What the hell?" he managed to mutter as he sat up.

"Don't move" Schuldig warned "Or I'll make your life a living hell" he finished as he shut the door behind him and locked it with a pretty loud click.

"What could you possibly do?" Yohji couldn't help himself from asking.

The redhead smirked. "You forget; your teammates are just a few feet away." Yohji stared at him for a few seconds not responding to the words; then he finally nodded. He blinked his jade eyes at the German. A million thoughts ran through his head, and for once Yohji didn't care if Schuldig heard them. There was just something about the Schwarz assassin standing there and the sound of his door being locked that made Yohji forget about how fucked up all of this was.

"Why?" he asked softly his attitude completely morphing. "Why didn't you run away? Why?"

Schuldig's smirk faltered a bit. "I want you."

"What?"

"I want you" he repeated as moved a step forward and opened the first button from his shirt, exposing his chest in the process. Yohji took a deep breath as his body reacted to the sight before him and he closed his fists in the sheets beneath him and squeezed tightly.

"Stop!" he breathed out exasperatedly. He could feel it already, like a monster rising inside him, demanding to be free. "Leave…please…leave while you can."

Schuldig took another step forward. "Not until I get what I want."

"This is bad" Yohji thought, closing his eyes and trying to calm down whatever was awakening inside him. The fact that Schuldig was fully clothed and that he was only in his underwear wasn't very good either. He felt hands on his bare shoulders and his eyes instantly snapped open just to stare at the emerald orbs above him.

When their mouths joined once more, Yohji didn't pull away; instead he kissed Schuldig back.

The German let his hands travel down the length of Yohji's body; from his shoulders, to his chest and down to his waist. When Yohji let out a soft moan into his mouth and that was all the motivation the telepath needed. Schuldig's heartbeat accelerated and Yohji's mouth suddenly wasn't what he wanted anymore. What he wanted now laid just a few inches below. The Schwarz assassin traced his nails along the pale skin of Yohji's throat and he noticed how they were longer than usual; but instead of being alarmed by it he just found them amusing.

Schuldig attached his mouth to Yohji's throat as his hands were still busy playing with the blond's body. It was so hard to think straight right now; he could almost smell the blood lying underneath that silky white skin, feel the pulse under his lips. And as the soreness of his throat became almost unbearable, he knew…he knew that all he had to do was to open his mouth wide, take off that annoying piece of cloth that stood between them and what he wanted would be his'.

Yohji couldn't breathe, couldn't think, as Schuldig pressed his lips against the pulse in his throat. The only thought that passed through his mind was that he wanted to do the exact same thing.

His control should be better than this, why was he letting this happen? Why wasn't he defending himself?

Yohji finally found his hands after this whole thing had started and placed them on the telepath's shoulders. Then he tried to push the German off him.

"Stop…" he whispered. "Get off me…"

But his heart just wasn't in it.

Schuldig never stopped.

Then there was a sound that completely removed any coherent thought inside Yohji's already confused head; the distinct sound of a zipper going down.

It all happened at once.

A sharp set of twin fangs pierced his throat in a painful bite at the same time as his boxers were being pulled down and feeling something pushing inside him.

There was a scream. And it took Yohji a few seconds to realize that it had come from his own mouth. He became aware that his hands were still on the flamed haired man's shoulders and he remembered that he had been trying to push him away. But things change.

Yohji wrapped his arms around Schuldig's back; gave in to what his body demanded and finally latched his own mouth to Schuldig's throat and sucked at it desperately; creating a mark.

Apparently for the redhead this was a form of 'yes' and he buried himself even deeper inside Yohji.

There was another scream, followed by a moan and a growl. Yohji detached his mouth from the warm skin and stared at the white of his ceiling, mesmerized by the sound of his blood leaving his body and the sound of flesh meeting flesh. His mouth was wide open as he took one gasping breath after another, his own thirst driving him mad. He remembered the silent promise he had made to himself to never bite the telepath again. But right now that promise seemed distant, faded, of no importance at all.

Schuldig moaned this time, and that was what drove Yohji over the final ledge. He sniffed the aroma that surrounded him, taking in one last deep breath before sinking his own pair of fangs viciously into Schuldig's own exposed throat.


	8. We got a problem

Yohji gazed at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. His calm breathing was joined by that of another. Schuldig apparently had no trouble at all falling asleep, much less with an arm sprawled across Yohji's chest; one which Yohji hadn't removed for reasons unknown to him. The contact felt true; appropriate…It was all very weird.

They say there's a calm before the storm; but in this particular case, there was one afterwards too.

The clock by his bed read 5:30am; dawn was just around the corner and he had to get up in half an hour; no real point going to sleep now. Slowly and carefully, Yohji removed himself from the bed and headed out; he left the door to his room open as he glided across the living room towards the bathroom.

Amazingly enough he recognized his image in the mirror. And even though he felt well and fit; the already closed wound on his neck and the blood that had dried from it said otherwise. Because for all he knew, a wound like that should have been fatal.

The warm water from the shower covered his body and disappeared down the drain in a pinkish color. Afterwards he covered his lower body with a towel and headed back to his room. He glanced out the window and noticed that the sky was already covered with the purple colors of the pre-dawn; Schuldig was still sleeping. One good look at his bed and Yohji decided that he would have to throw out all the bed sheets since there was no possible way to clean them discreetly. They were filthy with blood and…other things. The door to his closet opened noiselessly and Yohji picked out his clothes for the day; among them a green turtleneck sweater that would cover Schuldig's 'little' mark on his neck.

He had barely finished dressing when there was a scream.

Yohji quickly turned toward the source of the scream to see Schuldig falling to the floor and scrambling away from the bed. He half walked, half ran towards the telepath; kneeling by his side once he had reached him. Schuldig instantly latched on to Yohji, his bare hands a little above the other's chest and burying his face in the space between his neck and collarbone; as he tried to catch his breath. For a few seconds Yohji didn't know what to do; but he finally opted for placing one hand on the German's head and another on his neck.

"What happened, Schuldig?" He asked.

The readhead kept taking deep breaths and Yohji didn't urge a response, he just waited until it came.

"Hurts…Something burns…"

Yohji squinted his eyes in confusion. Then he looked up at the window and noticed a small ray of sunlight directed straight at the bed. The blond assassin raised his hand tentatively towards the small ray, letting his fingers move through it…nothing happened, nothing hurt. He gazed back at Schuldig, whose breathing had calmed down and placed his hand on his bare back pulling him in a soft embrace as he tried to comfort him.

The redhead instantly became calm at the feeling of his body being closer to Yohji's. Right then, it was all he needed.

The curtains had been closed; the bed sheets had been changed. Schuldig had taken a shower and was now browsing through Yohji's closet for something to wear.

Yohji didn't do anything but stare.

There had been no verbal truce; there just was a truce. And for Yohji the thought that most disturbed him was that everything felt…right. It was the first time he had slept with a man and even if he at the beginning had been kind of on the unwilling side; at the end their lovemaking had been a very mutual act indeed. That was what made the silent truce even more understandable. So Yohji just stared; lost in thought; as his now lover put on his favorite black shirt. Apparently the redhead didn't care if the quite noticeable bite on his neck could be seen.

"It's not like I'm going anywhere" Schuldig suddenly spat as he closed the closet doors.

"I don't really think the sun is the problem, Schu. It doesn't bother me. Why don't I just open the curtains to prove it?" Yohji stood and took only one step towards his window.

"Don't you dare open those curtains Yohji!" Schuldig instantly ordered in a fiery voice. "And…" he added more calmly. "Did you just make up a nickname for me?" He asked in slight disbelief.

"Yeah" Yohji answered quickly, "Your name's too hard to pronounce."

Schuldig stood there speechless and quite annoyed at the moment. "Schu…Schu? Is he insane?"

"I don't ever want to hear that nickname come out of your mouth, Balinese," the redhead barked back.

Yohji blinked at him. He could push the argument further and it could become one of those conversations he would never ever forget. But he had to go down to open up the shop in fifteen minutes.

"Fine then. I have to get to work anyway." Yohji stood up and started to leave.

"What about breakfast?"

Yohji turned towards him. "What? You can't possibly be hungry. I think you had enough last night." He exclaimed as he pointed discreetly towards his neck.

Schuldig took three quick steps towards him. "Well, you had your fair share too!" He almost yelled as he made the wound on is neck even more evident. "Aren't you hungry?" He asked.

Yohji opened his mouth to reply; but opted to stop and think about what the German had just said. He was hungry; at least a little.

Schuldig smirked instantly closing the space between them and morphing his attitude from annoying to needy. "Please…" He purred as he pulled down the cloth from Yohji's neck. "I won't leave a big mark…promise."

A sort of heat rushed up taking over Yohji's facial features.

"No!" The words came out hastily and forced as Yohji held Schuldig's shoulders and pushed him away. "I'll bring you something from the kitchen, just stay put."

Schuldig grinned even wider. "I really like when you panic."

Ken stared at Yohji wide eyed as the blond cursed for the twentieth time since he had stopped by the kitchen for some breakfast.

"Is everything alright Yohji?" He asked calmly.

"Just peachy." the other replied as he stuffed a piece of toast down his throat. "Rough night."

"Sure…" Ken replied sarcastically, to which Yohji gave him a glare that killed the subject. "Well, I'm gonna go get the shop ready. See you in a bit."

Yohji was oblivious to this and he barely noticed when Ken left the kitchen. He was furious.

Furious that Schuldig didn't know the meaning of the word 'no' and furious at mostly himself for not being able to resist the German more effectively. Because now his turtleneck sweater wasn't hiding one, but two bite marks. The coffee that went down his throat tasted liked nothing at all, and Yohji let it drain down the sink instead.

He was convinced that whatever had caused the telepath some pain this morning had nothing to do with the sun. Even though the morning rays annoyed him to some extent, they just didn't burn. His determination to find a cure hadn't wavered, for him and for the redhead. He hadn't forgotten how Schuldig had fallen into that equation…guilt. Yohji felt that it was his responsibility to turn the telepath back to normal since it was he who had bitten the redhead to begin with.

Now it was just a little bit more than just guilt.

But Yohji couldn't think about that right now. That was more information that his brain and emotions could deal with at the moment. His first priority was finding the only source of a possible cure; the one who had started all this…Rayne.

Schuldig had made a final judgment on the situation; there was no doubt in his mind at all. Yohji's DVD collection sucked beyond comparison. And the worst part was that he had to stand it because he had nowhere to go; or, more specifically, he couldn't go anywhere.

He had pondered a little about Yohji's little hypothesis that the sun wasn't the problem. And some part of Schuldig really wanted to believe that; but he just refused to open the curtains and go through all that again. If Yohji had at least the slightest idea about how it had felt he wouldn't have suggested such a thing as opening the curtains.

But that was pretty irrelevant right now really; his plan had worked wonderfully after all.

He had set out to make the blond his and not only had he achieved this; at the end Yohji had been a very willing participant indeed. The fact that Yohji's thoughts were as confused as his own only troubled him slightly. The two that most annoyed him were the word 'lover' he had extracted from the blond's mind and the nickname 'Schu' he had heard from his mouth. Those were dangerous words indeed.

More what they represented, that what they meant. An attachment, a connection, something much more than just lust.

They were dangerous words indeed.

Because just like Yohji, Schuldig thought so too...something felt right.

It took approximately two hours for Kritiker's main computer to do a thorough search of a person. Specifically because Yohji had only a rough description of said person as well as just her first name; which might not even be her real name.

It was late. Yohji had given Schuldig a late, late lunch consisting of some common Japanese cuisine. The German had protested and had tried to bite Yohji again. But Yohji had successfully avoided him with the excuse that he was just being annoying on purpose. Yohji had felt no surge of bloodlust since the night before and since Schuldig was in the same situation he shouldn't be having any either. Conclusion; the telepath was being a pain just for the fun of it; and Yohji had had about enough of the little game.

So in the end Schuldig had sat quietly on the bed and ate whatever Yohji had given him.

That had been almost three hours ago and Yohji was getting desperate. He wanted to be home before nightfall to make sure that Schuldig stayed put in his apartment. But finding Rayne was more important; she was the only one who could give Yohji the answers he desperately needed.

Manx had been a great help with this. Yohji had asked and she didn't question his motives. Sure, she had demanded one; but just a look and speaking the words 'it's personal' had been enough for her.

Yohji stretched his legs and arms; trying to find a more comfortable position in the small chair he was sitting. This was taking too long for his liking. Someone suddenly coughed at his side and Yohji turned to see Manx's smiling face along with a folder in her hand.

"I think we hit the jackpot" she commented, sitting down beside him. "An exact match of the description you gave us; even the name matched." she said passing the folder to Yohji.

"Then why did you have so much trouble finding her?" Yohji asked as he opened the folder and browsed through it, recognizing Rayne's picture in an instant.

"Because I started searching for recent files. She appeared on the missing person's list." She answered calmly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Yohji asked, still confused.

"Yohji..." Manx replied with a little concern in her voice. "This woman disappeared more than thirty years ago."

He had to accept it now. That was the last bit of clue he needed. Rayne...the woman he had met; the one who had started all this...

When he met her she didn't look a day older than twenty-two; but according to the records found by Kritiker she was reaching her fifty-sixth birthday.

A vampire...

The sun had fallen over half an hour ago when Yohji finally reached the Koneko no Sume Ie and unlocked the backdoor to gain entrance to the kitchen.

"Tadaima!"

Yohji froze.

His sense of smell became wild and his stomach did a somersault.

The air had the undisguisable scent of copper. The air all around him smelled like blood.

Yohji's feet moved on their own. He left the kitchen in a quick pace to find Aya's body sprawled on the floor and covered in blood; Ken was just close to him, right at the bottom of the stairs His fingers quickly pressed against his teammate's neck in search of a pulse. A sigh of relief escaped Yohji's lips when he found it quickly. Weiss' redhead was just unconscious. A better look made Yohji realize that Aya wasn't even hurt; the blood wasn't his.

Ken's pulse was also strong, but on the other hand he had a deep wound in his forearm. Yohji snatched a towel from the kitchen and covered it the best he could.

"Who's down there?"

The voice had been soft spoken and there was a tinge of fear in it. It was Omi's voice.

Yohji rushed up the stairs towards the source of the voice to find Omi sitting at the base of the second floor. Omi sat with a tired and slightly panicked look on his face. He was covering a gash on his left arm with his right hand. Yohji could see that his leg was broken or at least sprained. But the worst wound was on his neck. Someone had bitten him.

_Schuldig..._

"Omi!" Yohji was instantly by his side. "What happened Omi? Who attacked you? Was it someone from Schwarz? Was it Sch..."

"No" Omi interrupted. "No Schwarz. It was a girl; a girl and some guy."

"What?"

"That girl...she bit me...said something about me...that I was a good candidate or something." The teenager said with a look of pain on his face. Yohji removed his sweater and gave it to Omi to cover the wound on his neck.

"Do you know why they attacked you?"

"They were looking for something. They went to your room Yohji... They took something."

Yohji's heart skipped a beat... something.

"Let me call for some help. I'll be right back." He said and Omi nodded.

Yohji ran to his apartment, it felt like his legs weren't getting him there fast enough. His door was wide open. There had been a fight in this room; a big one. He could see splatters of blood all around. He rushed to his bedroom.

It was empty.

Schuldig was gone.

There was a piece of paper on the floor beside a small puddle of blood.

_"If you want him back, I'll be where we met."_


	9. Forever lost

_"Why? Why did all this happened?"_

Yohji crumpled the bloody note in his hands. He closed his eyes and tried to think. All his efforts spent searching for Rayne had been a waste of time. In the end she had come to him, she had attacked his teammates and she had taken Schuldig away.

All Yohji could think of was how much he wanted to kill the little bitch. He couldn't help but feel that something very important had been taken from him. And his brain was trying to cope with the thought that this 'very important thing' was his enemy.

But there was no doubt in his mind.

He would get his lover back.

Yohji snatched an extra shirt from the closet; one that wasn't a sweater; one that showed the bitemarks on his neck. Then he grabbed the phone by his bed and called Manx. They would be there in ten minutes; plenty of time for Yohji to leave before they arrived.

The blond assassin went back to Omi's side by the stairs and quickly noticed that the teenager looked much better than when he had left him. The fear on his face had disappeared.

"Kritiker will be here in less than ten minutes," he announced. Omi looked at him as he nodded. Then Yohji noticed as the youngster's eyes reflected on something and went a little wide. Yohji knew that Omi had noticed the wounds on his neck; but the youngest Weiss member didn't say anything about it.

"Was there someone in your apartment Yohji?" He asked instead.

Yohji blinked in surprise. "Why would you ask that?"

"I heard fighting… Someone yelled your name…"

Yohji's face twisted slightly at the words as he visualized what Omi had just said; then he stood up. "There's something I need to do Omi; can you cover for me?"

A soft smile formed on the younger blond's face as he nodded. Yohji gave silent thanks as he rushed down the stairs and disappeared into the night.

"Be careful."

The street was as desolated as all the previous times Yohji had searched it. He knew exactly where to go. The door was unlocked this time; nothing and no one stood in his way.

It took a few moments for Yohji's eyes to get used to the dim light of the deserted club. Rayne's once hazel, now red, eyes stared back at him.

"So, it was a good idea to bring your little child here after all." Rayne spoke in a calm voice. She sat on top of the counter, her legs dangling.

Yohji glared at her, ignoring her words; he knew exactly what she meant by 'child'. Besides there was a much more important question he'd been urging to ask. Even if he already knew the answer, he needed to hear it from her. "What are you?"

"Isn't that obvious?" She asked mockingly. "I'm a vampire Yohji. When I saw you, I just knew I had to make you mine."

"Why me?"

"Because your one of the few who can be turned. Our numbers are dwindling, we're becoming extinct."

"You bit one of my friends."

"Yes, the little one…I thought he had the capability to become one of us, but one taste of his blood and I knew he could never be part of my clan. Hmph… such a waste."

Yohji sighed in relief. Omi would be fine.

"Well now." Rayne spoke suddenly cheerful. "Let's get down to business shall we?" she said smiling. "Kal!"

The backdoor opened and out came the male vampire Omi had mentioned. He was dragging something. The brunet vampire, Kal, acted as if Schuldig's unconscious form weighed nothing. Kal went around the counter and slumped Schuldig against the wall of the counter just beside Rayne. He remained there, as if awaiting her next order.

"Here's the deal Yohji Kudou," she said decisively. "Drink my blood and I will let you both go."

Yohji turned angry eyes at her; they had hurt Schuldig' they had hurt his lover… It took all of his self control not to lash out at her. Schuldig was badly hurt. Not only were his clothes ragged and bloodied, but the left side of his face was a deep purple and someone had slashed his right wrist open; it was covered with blood. They had beaten him down to unconsciousness. Only the regular rise and fall of his chest prevented Yohji from ambushing the pair and do the same to them.

"Why should I trust you?" Yohji asked blatantly.

Rayne frowned at him then turned her head towards her companion. "Wake him up," she commanded.

Kal pulled a small dagger from one of his backpockets, then kneeled down beside Schuldig as he slashed his own wrist and offered it to the redhead.

Schuldig stirred. His eyes fluttered open slowly, his nose perked up, obviously called by the smell of fresh blood. Yohji could smell it too, but remained in his spot. Schuldig closed his mouth over Kal's open wound and drank from it fiercely for a few seconds.

"That's enough Kal," Rayne suddenly interrupted. The brunet followed her every word and removed his wrist from Schuldig's mouth. The telepath wined at its removal, but didn't even have a chance to protest as he was forced to his feet by the vampire, the sharp dagger pressed to his neck.

"Like I said before Yohji; drink my blood or watch your little lover's throat get torn open."

Yohji took notice of Schuldig's eyes since they had fluttered open. They were stuck on the dagger at his throat, then he gazed at Yohji as his brain finally understood the situation he was in.

"Why should I care?" Yohji asked blankly.

Rayne blinked. "He's your lover isn't he? I can smell you on him, you even turned him for crying out loud!"

"So what?"

Rayne was furious. "What is wrong with you? I swear I'll kill him. I'll kill him right in front of your eyes!" she threatened angrily.

"You make no sense!" Yohji yelled back. "First you say you bit me because you're dying out and still you're willing to kill another just to have me?"

Rayne couldn't respond to that. "Just drink my blood Yohji and we can all go."

Yohji truly doubted her words. She kept insisting he drank her blood; it was something so important to her that there was no way Yohji was agreeing to it. For all he knew, drinking her blood could tie him up to her forever. Yohji gazed at Schuldig's emerald eyes; after all; this was a much better plan.

Yohji sighed. "It doesn't matter now" he said, his calm returning. "Does it really work Schuldig?"

_"Indeed it does, my kitten."_

"What are you mumbling about?" Rayne demanded cluelessly.

Yohji smiled. "Do it."

Rayne had only a second to glance at her companion when her body froze and she collapsed to the floor, as did Kal as well. Schuldig slumped forward as he was no longer being supported. Warm arms caught him midway and Schuldig held on to Yohji as he tried to regain control of his footing.

"Can you stand?" The blond asked with concern.

"I think so," the redhead responded still holding to Yohji.

"Why didn't you shut their minds before? We could have avoided all this trouble."

Schuldig glared at him. "Well sorry" he said sarcastically. "Maybe I was a little busy trying not to get beaten to a pulp and being unconscious."

"That didn't work too well did it?"

"Obviously!"

Yohji smiled softly and Schuldig stopped hanging on to him as a reflex. The moment felt too comfortable for his taste. "What should we do with them?" He asked as he held his footing without any help.

Yohji rolled his eyes slightly as he considered the question. A grin formed slowly on his face at the thought of something. "I think I have an idea."

Schuldig and Yohji walked side by side as they left the immediate area near the club; the night air softly grazing their skin. They had just left the two vampires safely tied to each other on a nice rooftop where they could get plenty of sun. They walked a bit further when Schuldig suddenly slowed down his pace and slumped against a wall.

"Are you alright?" Yohji asked instantly as he noticed the exhausted look on the German's face.

"Fine…" he muttered slowly. "I just to need to rest a bit."

Yohji knew for a fact the reason of that weariness; it lay right across the redhead's wrist in a nasty cut. Then he remembered something. "Wait…"

"What is it?" Schuldig asked, blinking tired eyes at the Weiss assassin.

"I forgot to ask."

"Ask what?"

"I was so worried then…I just forgot the whole point of finding her."

"Ask what?" Schuldig repeated more fiercely.

"A cure; I forgot to ask her."

Schuldig frowned. "They'll be out cold for long after morning."

"Then I'll have to untie her and take her with me." The blond said as he started to turn around.

"No!" the redhead yelled suddenly, giving Yohji an angry look. "I want her to burn. They came running at me, they didn't even give me a chance to fight back. They just slit my wrist so I lost enough blood, so I couldn't fight back."

Yohji instantly looked at him, suddenly remembering the serious wound. He reached out and grabbed Schuldig's arm, taking a better look at it. He felt as Schuldig's body trembled slightly at the touch.

"Let go of me," the redhead muttered softly, still trembling.

Yohji glanced at Schuldig as he spoke the uncertain words. His eyes were closed tightly as if he was willing for Yohji to disappear. The Weiss assassin didn't let go; instead he pushed Schuldig back, pressing his body against the redhead's. Schuldig stared vividly at the ground; he seemed to be very angry with himself.

"Why?" He whispered. "I believed those two were going to kill me… I thought I was going to die… why were you the last thing I though of… why?

Yohji didn't respond to the confession; after all; he was practically in the same situation. He had completely forgotten about getting the information he so desperately wanted. The redhead's safety had taken a much higher priority. Schuldig was still trembling slightly and Yohji deduced it probably was because of the blood loss he had suffered.

He tilted the German's head up and planted a fierce kiss on the cold lips. It wasn't long before the redhead responded to it and kissed him back. Yohji broke the kiss and let Schuldig's head fall on his collarbone. Yohji didn't have to wait to long before he felt the soft sting of the German's fangs piercing his skin.

Yohji let out a soft moan as Schuldig drank from him. They had taken blood from him in order to weaken him and Yohji had every intention of giving it back to him.

"Excuse me."

They instantly pulled apart at the voice. Schuldig swiped the few drops of blood at the corner of his mouth with the arm of his shirt. They both turned their heads to the entrance of the alley to find a tall man with bloodred hair, bloodred eyes and dressed in nothing but black.

"Who is your sire?" The man asked calmly.

Yohji blinked in confusion, the question had been directed a him. "What?"

"Are you the one Rayne blooded?" He asked again as he stepped forward, getting closer.

Yohji blinked again, becoming a little more cautious of the newcomer. "If you mean to ask if she bit me? Then yes."

"But you haven't drunk her blood yet," he said, not a question.

"Why would I?" Yohji replied.

The man's red eyes turned to Schuldig. "And this one?"

Yohji instantly glared at the vampire, placing a hand on his watch. "He's mine." He said in a solid voice as he took a stance in front of the telepath. Schuldig hadn't taken enough blood from him, he still wasn't up to put up a decent fight…Yohji had his watch.

The redhaired vampire raised his eyebrows slightly at Yohji. "He drank your blood," he said, as if he'd just discovered this.

Yohji kept glaring. "So?"

A plain smirk formed on the vampire's face and he directed his gaze at Schuldig. "Tell me how was the sun today?" He asked in a slightly mocking voice.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Yohji asked, not caring that the question wasn't addressed to him.

Red eyes instantly turned to him. "I assume you can walk freely in the daylight."

"Of course I can, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"And you?" The vampire asked Schuldig again.

The telepath glared slightly at him. "It hurt like hell."

Yohji spared a look at the German. "But we're not even sure if that was it?"

"I assure you it was." the bloodhaired vampire interrupted.

Yohji turned his gaze back towards him. "Who are you?"

"My name is Markhas. I am Rayne's sire and clan master."

"Oh, so you are Mark," Schuldig commented, instantly regretting that he had spoken the words out loud. Both Yohji and Markhas turned to look at him. He directed gazes at them both. "He was the last thing Rayne though of before she fainted." He added calmly.

The vampire reacted instantaneously. "What have you done with her?" He yelled furiously, and Yohji placed a hand on his watch instinctively.

"She's safe…" The Weiss assassin responded quickly. "At least until morning" he thought. He didn't dare say it out loud; something told him not to get on the vampire's bad side; not that he already wasn't. "Now, what about the sun?" He asked, returning to the prior subject.

Markhas knew that the blond was telling the truth, so he calmed down. "She didn't tell you did she?" He said.

"Tell us what?" Yohji asked.

"Not everyone has the potential to become a vampire; but we can sense when a person has that potential. We don't know what it is or how it works; but whatever it is you both have it."

Yohji frowned a bit. "Rayne bit a friend of mine believing that, but then she said he couldn't be turned, she didn't even give him her blood or anything."

Markhas sighed. "A bite is enough." Then he closed his eyes and started massaging his eyelids as if feeling the beginnings of a headache. "Rayne's been disobeying orders; she is supposed to run all potentials through me first before biting them. I know she's worried about our fading numbers but she just can't break protocol. You both are a perfect example why we have this protocol."

"Well, you're a real bad leader then. She already made the mistake." Schuldig spat, provoking Yohji to give him a very disapproving look.

Markhas ignored the comment. "I know and I can't offer any apologies; but…" He stopped briefly, as if he was thinking what he was going to say. "There's still a way for you to be human."

A surge of hope rose up inside Yohji. This is was it; what he had wanted to hear ever since he had bitten Schuldig. "What is it?" He asked quickly.

Markhas looked straight into his jade eyes; his tone was very serious. "Don't drink Rayne's blood."

Yohji blinked. "That's it?"

Markhas nodded. "Once a potential's been bitten, he or she has to drink from the vampire who bit them in the two weeks after that first bite; if they don't their side effects will fade and they will return back to normal." Markhas finished.

Schuldig stepped on forward, ignoring Yohji's watchful eye over him and giving Markhas his trademark smirk. "Yohji never drank from that bitch. He never became a vampire; he bit me. If he goes back to normal, so will I right?" he asked.

Markhas gave him a grave look. "I'm sorry…"

Everyone hushed.

Then suddenly Yohji moved up front, between his lover and Markhas. "Wait! What are you saying?"

The grave look never left the vampire's face. "During those two weeks you had every capability to turn another, even if you weren't a true vampire yourself. He is just like me…now and forever."

"Wait. Are you telling me that there's no cure for me; that I'm going to be like this forever?" Schuldig asked in disbelief.

"You drank your maker's blood during the required period. You are one of us now."

Nobody spoke, no one replied to the words. Yohji stared at his lover who seemed to be staring at nothing at all. What could he possibly say to him now?

Markhas cleared his throat to gain Yohji's attention and the blond turned towards him with confused jade eyes. "I don't believe you will drink Rayne's blood will you?" redhaired vampire asked softly.

Yohji took a moment to understand what he was asking. "…no." he answered quietly but certainly.

The vampire gave him a brief look, then turned his red eyes to Schuldig who was still staring at nothing in particular. "You have no attachment to my clan, I can't force you to remain with us, but you're welcome to join us if you want."

Schuldig blinked; his first reaction in the past few moments. His eyes were still emerald. "No." His voice was calm. "I think I want to be on my own right now."

"Very well then." Markhas gave a small bow and moved on forward, disappearing into the alley. Yohji followed him with his eyes; he knew the master vampire was heading up to the roof to rescue his children. There was a sound of quick footsteps and Yohji instantly gazed toward Schuldig again to see that the redhead was already halfway down the street in a mad run. Yohji didn't even give a prior thought before he started running after the telepath.

"Schuldig!" he screamed as he caught up with his lover and snatched his arm.

"Don't touch me!" Schuldig screamed instantly, swiping Yohji's hand away.

Yohji felt instantly hurt. "Schu…"

The redhead only glared at him. "Go home! Live you normal life, because I certainly can't anymore!"

"I'm sorry Schuldig."

"You keep saying that! You might be sorry, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm condemned to being a monster when you get the chance to go back to your normal life!"

"You call murder 'a normal life'?" Yohji asked solemnly.

"You know what I mean." Schuldig replied. "I can't even go back to my team…"

Yohji remembered the briefing from almost a week ago. "Is there anything I can do?" He asked, standing in front of the redhead and resting his gaze on him.

"I think I need to be alone for a while." The German said as he avoided the blond's jade eyes and turned his back to him; he only took one step forward before Yohji spoke again.

"I don't regret it…" Schuldig stopped in mid-step and glanced back at the blond. "I don't regret the time we spent together. Do you?"

Schuldig blinked slowly. "…I'm the one who wanted you in the first place…so no. As angry as I am with you right now, I still can't regret being with you."

Yohji smiled softly. "Give me time Schu, maybe someday I'll change my mind."

Schuldig grinned; his attitude returning back to normal. "Deal. I'll give you time. But know this Yotan, one day I'll make you mine." Yohji couldn't help but grin back at the words. Schuldig's grin widened as he walk back towards his lover, grabbed the back of his head and planted a sultry kiss on his lips.

They kept their mouths together as long as they could hold their breaths; then the kiss was broken and Schuldig started walking away.

"Auf Wiedersehen" Yohji."

"Sayonara, Schuldig."

"Yohji wake up!"

Yohji snapped his eyes open at the sound of his name. Aya's angry face stared back at him and Yohji knew instantly why his teammate was so pissed. He had fallen asleep in the sofa, in the middle of a weekly briefing.

"Sorry…" the blond said, directing apologetic eyes to Manx who was glaring at him.

She cleared her throat and continued. "Like I was saying before I was so cordially interrupted; Schwartz still seems to be disorganized since the death of one of its members and the disappearance of another. As of today this matter will become a lesser priority. Also one of Kritiker's spies reported that a gang of drug dealers is planning… "

The words became distorted in Yohji's head. Since he didn't really care what was being said. Old news. No guilt whatsoever over them. Yohji just wanted the briefing to end so he could go to bed.

There had been no sign of Rayne or Markhas since that night and Yohji was pretty certain that he would not encounter them ever again. Which suited Yohji just fine. He had sworn to himself that he would kill the woman if he ever saw her again.

The briefing ended and they were dismissed. After saying his goodnights Yohji went straight to his apartment, locked the door and fell asleep in a matter of seconds.

There was a noise; a soft rasp of something that sounded like nails against a window. Then the window opened and closed softly, the next noises were clearly footsteps.

Yohji just dug his head deeper into his pillow, ignoring the noises; he had become accustomed to them after all in the past four months.

The bed moved as another body sprawled itself on it. Then a hand wrapped itself around Yohji's waist, pulling him in.

"Yotan…" a voice purred. "I'm hungry…"

Yohji raised his eyebrows slightly. "You were supposed to have fed already."

"I did" Schuldig purred in his ear. "But it's not that type of hunger."

"Well; that's what happens when you don't show up for a week."

"Aww…C'mon Yohji" the redhead whispered as he let one of his hands travel down the length of Yohji's body, around his waist and into his lover's boxers until he grasped what he was searching for.

Yohji gasped, feeling as the usual heat of their encounters started taking him over. He forgot his train of thought and another replaced it. "Did you close the curtains?" He asked between breaths.

"Of course I did, you think I want to burn?"

Yohji was about to reply when Schuldig let him go; so instead he protested, "I thought we were going to…" Yohji was cut off when Schuldig pushed him face down on the bed, molding himself on top as he pressed his chest against Yohji's back and licked the spot between his neck and ear. "Yeah, I know you're just worried about me. I'm fine, you're fine, now shut up!" he said fiercely as he sucked at the spot he had been licking before.

"No biting," Yohji reminded him.

Schuldig smirked. "I know."

Yohji felt as Schuldig's weight and certain body parts pressed against him. He let out a soft moan at the touch of Schuldig's lips on the back of his neck and the sounds of his lover getting rid of the clothes. How the redhead managed to do this was still a mystery to Yohji and he sincerely couldn't care any less. Yohji in return didn't need to do anything, he had made it a habit to sleep in just his boxers; and those he could get easily rid of. Schuldig pressed his body against him again and Yohji was certain that all the German's clothes were lying on the floor. Then his own remaining piece of underwear was quickly removed by swift hands.

"Please Schu… don't make me wait like the last time," Yohji begged as Schuldig left hand traveled between his legs and started massaging him up to the limit. Yohji bit down on his pillow so his moans couldn't be heard.

"Don't worry." The redhead said with a smirk. "I want you so bad…"

Yohji was already in a semi-dazed stage when he heard the sound of his drawer opening. Then Schuldig removed the hand from between his legs as he needed both of them now. More sounds followed, and Yohji recognized each and every single one of them. He took a deep breath; preparing himself.

There was no prior warning. Suddenly Schuldig forced his legs apart, positioning himself above his lover and thrusted deep inside him. Yohji screamed at the sudden invasion. Schuldig's hand went around his waist and between his legs again, grappling him, forcing Yohji to be in the perfect point between pleasure and pain. Schuldig pulled out slowly and thrust again even deeper and faster than his first thrust, starting a rhythm between them.

Cries of bliss filled the room and Yohji screamed out for his lover, not caring if his screams could be heard beyond the walls of his room.

The sun had risen, and Yohji lay by Schuldig's sleeping form as he stared at him. The redhead could have bitten him during any of their encounters, whenever they made love, and say it had been an accident.

But he hadn't. Just like Yohji had asked him to; and that meant a lot.

The thought of becoming a vampire still made Yohji extremely uncomfortable. But he wasn't as opposed to it as he had been at the beginning, but still he knew that he wasn't up to it.

He had asked for time and it had been given to him. Sometimes Schuldig would bring the subject up and Yohji's reply was always the same… "not yet".

But deep in his soul he knew; he knew that there would come a day when he would say yes.

~end~


End file.
